Serbs Agree on Transition Government

The Associated Press
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2000; 10:23 a.m. EDT

BELGRADE, Yugoslavia -- The Serbian parliament agreed Tuesday to a
new transition government to administer the main Yugoslav republic until
new elections in December.

The decision, ratified by a vote of 128-5, represented a significant victory
for the new Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, whose followers will
share power with Slobodan Milosevic's party until the new elections in
Serbia.

Those elections would give the democracy forces the chance to expand
their control of the Serbian government - one of the last bastions of
Milosevic's power. Later, deputies in a separate vote were expected to
approve individual ministers for the transitional administration and set Dec.
23 as the date for the Serbian elections.

The decision came despite a walkout by the 82 delegates of the Serbian
Radical Party, who condemned the government changes as a "coup."

Milosevic's Socialists, who hold 110 of the 250 seats in the current
parliament, agreed to the transition government plan Oct. 16. However,
parliamentary approval was delayed because of differences with
Kostunica's Democratic Opposition of Serbia on individual appointments.

After the Socialists bowed to Kostunica's demands, the Radicals
filibustered a parliament session for seven hours Monday, forcing a
postponement until Tuesday.

The Radicals walked out of Tuesday's session to protest a decision by
state television not to broadcast the proceedings live.

The new Serbian prime minister designate, Milosevic ally Milomir Minic,
said he agreed to the transitional administration and to accept the post "in
order to solve the country's crisis by political means."

He said that the agreement on the new government, reached under the
pressure from new pro-democracy forces, was taken "not because of
fear" but "because of the sense of responsibility for Serbia."

"The difficult times demand that we start our work right now," Minic said.

Yugoslavia is a federation made up of Serbia and smaller Montenegro -
each with their own elected governments.

© Copyright 2000 The Associated Press